Archive for Quilting ideas
Baby Quilt Pattern – quick & easy!
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Supplies Needed for this darling Baby Quilt (make 2 – one for yourself and one to donate 
Color One: 1/2 yard of 44-45″ fabric (1 yard for larger size)
Color Two: 1/3 yard of 44-45″ fabric (1/2 yard for larger size)
Color Three: 1/3 yard of 44-45″ fabric (1/2 yard for larger size)
Binding: Cut binding either 1.5″ wide or 2″ wide (your preference), and long enough to go all the way around your quilt – about 120 inches for the smaller size and 180 inches for the larger size (you may piece strips).
Batting: You will need a 28.5″ x 28.5″ piece of batting (or 42.5″ x 42.5″ if you are making the larger size).
Quilt Backing: 28.5″ x 28.5″ piece of fabric for the quilt back (or 42.5″ x 42.5″ if you are making the larger size).
Cutting Instructions
PRE-WASH AND DRY YOUR FABRIC before beginning, if desired.
Small Quilt – Baby Blanket Size (28.5″ x 28.5″) Cut strips of fabric 4.5″ x w.o.f. (width of fabric) For color one, cut three strips, each 4.5″ x 44-45″ (your width of fabric) For colors two and three, cut two strips of fabric 4.5″ x w.o.f. Cut strips into 4.5″ squares. For color one, you will need a total of 25 squares. For colors two and three you will need a total of 12 squares of each color.
Larger Quilt – Lap Size (42.5″ x 42.5″) Cut strips of fabric 6.5″ x w.o.f. (width of fabric)
For color one, cut four strips, each 6.5″ x 44-45″ (your width of fabric), plus one more square that measures 6.5″ x 6.5″ For colors two and three, cut two strips of fabric 6.5″ x w.o.f. Cut strips into 6.5″ squares. For color one, you will need a total of 25 squares. For colors two and three you will need a total of 12 squares of each color.
Sewing Instructions
Using 1/4″ seam allowances, sew the squares together. It is easiest to assemble the squares into one row at a time. You can create horizontal or vertical rows. After your rows are created, sew the rows together. TIP: Iron all squares before sewing them into rows. Iron the rows before sewing them together. It works best to press the seams in opposite directions. In other words, if row one has seams pressed to the left, press the seams of row two to the right. That way, when you sew the rows together, it is easier to match corners more precisely.
Quilting Instructions
You can now stitch the three layers together, either by tying with yarns or embroidery floss, hand quilting or machine quilting.
President Carol Green
ReliefShare.org
6078 Lundy Rd
Houston, MO 65483-2225
417-763-3288
30 more twin size quilts donated to Shriners Childrens Hospital!
Posted by: | CommentsOur volunteers have been busy as little bees. We have just made and donated THIRTY patchwork twin size quilts for Shriners Childrens Hospital for use on their patients beds and for cuddling the children after surgery. We now have another 68 quilts to go to make our 240 goal that was requested!
All the fabric, batting, thread, yarn and machines needed were dedicated and consecrated for the benefit of the sick and needy. Nothing is wasted, each piece of fabric is sewed into place with love and concern for the little ones who are getting needed treatment at the hospital.
Many of the children are missing limbs, some can’t walk, some have halos, others needs spinal surgery and ALL are very much loved and well cared for at the hospital. We feel blessed to have the opportunity to bless the lives of the children by creating our quilts made by happy volunteers and loving hands.
If you would like to be included in this wonderful project – feel free to contact us at info@ReliefShare.org
Busy righteous hands belong to happy people! Join us!
How to make a quilt into a pillow for storage
Posted by: | CommentsWhen donating to the hospitals, crisis centers or homeless shelters, storing quilts can take up quite a bit of space and make a mess for the staff as quilts are pulled out for use. Donating “quilts in a pillow” helps with storage and also provides a more useful multi use item.
The fastest way to make a’quilt in a pillow” is to first make a ‘pillowcase’ quilt. Lay the front and back of the quilt down with the right sides together. Put the batting on top of the front and back and cut all three layers together the same size.
Sew a 1/2 ” seam around all the edges, leaving a large enough opening in the center of one side to turn the quilt. Turn and either sew closed by hand, or sew closed by machine. Topstitch 1/4″ all around the edge to secure. Tie, hand quilt or machine quilt the quilt. If tying make sure that ties are at least 4″ apart or less for stability of the quilt. Double tie the knots. Please do not just take a stitch and then another one in the same spot and keep going. Quilts that are tied this way without making a knot come undone in hospital laundry. Make sure you tie a square knot using thread or yarn that does not slip. Embroidery thread is not a good choice because it tends to work it’s way loose through wear.
Make a square mini quilt the same way you just made the quilt (omitting the tying or quilting) that is approx. just larger than 1/3 the size of the narrowest width of the quilt. For example: if your quilt was 45″ x 72″, then make your mini quilt 18″ square. The mini quilt makes the pocket.
Lay the larger quilt down with one shorter side next to you like you are standing at the end of a bed. Place the mini quilt on the edge of the short side nearest you and center it on the edge. Sew down three sides, leaving the side open that faces the center of the quilt, making a pocket. Reinforce the ends of your stitching so the pocket will not come unsewn from the quilt.
To make the quilt into a pillow, lay the quilt with the pocket side down . Fold the quilt into thirds longways, overlapping long edge. Turn the pocket over the end of the quilt. Fold the remaining quilt into thirds and continue folding into the pocket forming a pillow.
Voila! Done 
You can embroider a cute teddy bear face or heart on the front of the pocket if you want to make it fun for a child or adult.
Note – regarding quilt sizes: Baby quilts can be 36″ x 36″, 36″ x 45″ or 45″ x 60″. Larger quilts can be 45″ x 60″ or larger, depending if it is going to be used for a child or adult, partial coverage such as a wheelchair quilt or full coverage for a bed. The bottom line is pretty much any size is welcomed to keep the sick and needy comfortable and warm. Twin size quilts are the most urgent size needed right now – approx 70″ x 90″. You can make the quilts all the way up to 120 x 120 if you like, be creative and have fun making your donation of love for the sick and/or needy. Feel free to sign the quilt and ask your church group or quilting group if they would like to get involved.
We love to receive volunteers items lovingly sewn for the sick and needy to distribute where the need is the greatest. If you would like to donate quilts in a pillow or supplies to make them to Relief Share, please send donations to Relief Share, 6078 Lundy Rd., Houston, MO 65483-2225. All donations are gratefully accepted and acknowledged with a tax deductible receipt and thank you letter.
Patterns and ideas are happily accepted to share with others on our Relief Share website, blog and at work meetings. Please send submissions to info@ReliefShare.org Upon receipt, all submissions will be considered public domain for distribution for charitable purposes and will not be returned so if it’s your favorite pattern, please make sure you have a copy, too. Thank you
Recent donations in – supplies, children’s clothing and more & Donations out
Posted by: | CommentsRelief Share has been very blessed with donations to help the sick and/or needy families we serve. Donations of baby and toddler clothing, shoes, diaper bags, quilts, blankets, sheets, and toys came in and very quickly were donated out to where they were needed the most.
A generous donation of books from Alma Mooney of Licking was received as a fundraiser to raise money needed to purchase flannel for the backing of the Relief Share Quilts for Kids project.
Donations out include helping a family with a young child and another on the way with nursing pillow covers, household goods, food, baby clothing and bedding, essential supplies, toys, and other needed items. Newborns in Need Ozarks Chapter was the recipient of a large donation of cone yarn, baby clothing, bedding, fabric and diaper bags.
Donations of clothing to area residents in need of warmer seasonal clothing and food was also given out.
Wonder what you can help with? Here is a handy urgent needs list that you can print out and take with you when you do your shopping. Just get one or two extra items and send them to:
Relief Share
6078 Lundy Rd
Houston, MO 65483-2225
All donations are tax deductible.
Urgent Needs List:
Basic food item suggestions – Sugar, flour, salt, pepper, oil, cereal, tinned food such as beans, vegetables, fruit, soup, etc. Baby food, formula, crackers, tuna, etc. Many of the families we serve are very grateful for the food given them. A package of animal crackers, macaroni and cheese or juice boxes can make the world of difference to a hungry child. A Wal Mart gift card is also a great donation item as volunteers in our Relief Share office are happy to take the list of what is needed and purchase food and personal items, like toilet paper and shampoo and deliver it to the needy family – this also saves on shipping cost to us.
Clothing – clean gently used clothing or new. Socks, pants, tops, coats, shoes, undergarments, hats, mittens, etc. Accessories like purses or wallets, belts and backpacks are very gratefully accepted by recipients.
Bedding – home made, clean gently used or new. sheets, blankets, baby blankets, receiving blankets, pillows, pillow cases, crib sets, afghans.
Personal hygiene items – shampoo, conditioner, soap, razors, deodorant, moisturizer, lotion, wet wipes, baby oil, baby diaper cream, baby powder, etc.
Books, toys, movies, games, and furniture is also welcome. Christmas is coming and many of the families we care for have little or nothing for the holiday. Full size filled stockings are a huge blessing at the Christmas season. We donate the stockings, when available, to foster homes, hospitals, medical centers, crisis centers, homeless shelters and area churches who care for the sick and needy. A doll or book can make a wonderful difference in a little one’s holiday season. A mother struggling to care for her family with no partner for support is grateful for a soft warm scarf from a donor to show her someone cares for her.
You can make Christmas brighter and more blessed by showing your love to a stranger who has need of your care.
Here are some ideas for you to consider making items to donate:
Sewing – quilts, baby clothing, bedding, blankets, tote bags, diaper bags, toys, dresses, diapers
Quilting – baby quilts, twin size quilts, toys, Christmas ornaments, tree skirts, wall hangings, totes
Knitting – hats, sweaters, mittens, socks, pants, tops, blankets, afghans, toys
Crochet – afghans, blankets, hats, dish cloths, toys, clothing, sweaters, mittens
Tat – handkerchiefs, bonnets, doilies , lace trim for baby gowns
Embroider – blankets, hats, clothing, toys
If you have questions or would like to talk with representatives from Relief Share – please feel free to email info@ReliefShare.org or call 417-967-3340 and ask for Stephanie or Carol. Please note: all Relief Share workers are volunteers – no one is paid – this is a work of the heart in Christ’s name giving relief through sharing to God’s children. We are his hands and feet showing mercy to the less fortunate – join us and make a difference today.
Relief Share receives donation of 2 twin size quilts from local quilt guilds.
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Bev Flowers donates two beautiful quilts to Relief Share
Relief Share, a non profit charity for the sick and needy, received 2 twin size quilts from Bev Flowers (shown in picture attached) representing the UMC Holy Tearers Quilt Group and the Piney River Quilting Guild. The donation was presented to Director Stephanie Little at the local Relief Share office in Houston, Missouri on Oct 19, 2009.
These quilts are a part of a large project being undertaken by Relief Share to fill the need for bedding for the children hospitalized at Shriners Childrens Hospital in St Louis, Missouri. Many children have been cared for by Shriners Hospital in St Louis at no cost. Since April 30, 2009, Relief Share has donated 99 of the 240 quilts requested by the hospital, 141 twin size quilts are still needed.
Richard and Carol Green, founders of Relief Share, have provided most of the many yards of fabric needed for the quilts, purchased from the Lucky Dollar store in Licking, Missouri at a discount given by business owners to help with the charitable efforts of the community. Two local sisters, who wish to remain anonymous, have purchased and donated most of the batting and spend hundreds of hours sewing and tying many of the quilts. Volunteers combine efforts to create the warm quilts for the sick and needy children being treated at Shriners Childrens Hospital.
All donations are much appreciated and put to immediate use. To donate to the “Relief Share Quilts for Kids” project, visit www.ReliefShare.org or call 417-967-3340 for more information. Fabric, batting and flannel backing are needed as well as those who would like to help sew the quilts together and either tie or quilt them. A total of 141 twin size quilts are still needed.
Tutorial – How to make your own cloth labels
Posted by: | CommentsMaking your own cloth labels is so easy but it took a lot of research and testing before we came up with the right way to do it.
Materials needed:
- white or cream muslin (you can use whatever material you like, including gross grain or ribbon)
- freezer paper
- heat and bond
- compute
- ink jet printer
First wash your fabric to make sure there is no sizing or other chemicals in it as the sizing interferes with the ink’s permanency. I purchased white muslin from my local quilt shop that has no sizing or chemical in it. The store owner carries this muslin specifically for projects where folks are making memory quilts or labels. Dry and iron your fabric so there are no wrinkles.
Design your label on your computer. I used Adobe Photoshop as there was a graphic on the label as well as fonts, but if you are making sizing or care labels and just need black text, you can use a word processing program.
Put the logo you have designed into Microsoft Word or another program that does labels – I chose the format that prints out 30 labels on a page. You can use your graphics program and lay out a sheet of labels but I found that printing smaller text from a graphics program results in lack of sharpness in the text and prefer to use MS Word or Publisher.
Cut your fabric and freezer paper to 8 1/2″ by 11″ and fuse the freezer paper to the back of the fabric. This makes the fabric stiff enough to go through the printer with no problem.
Print out your labels on the fabric. Let dry completely – at least 10 to 15 minutes, but I let mine dry overnight. Peel off the freezer paper from the back of the fabric.
Iron on heat and bond on the back of the labels – being careful not to rub or press too hard and cause the print to smear. You can skip this step if you are sewing your labels in but I use heat and bond on the back of my labels even if I am sewing them on because it holds them quite nicely as I am sewing and makes sure they are on to stay.
Peel off the paper off the heat and bond backing from the back of the fused fabric. At this point, I cut my fabric into individual labels with a rotary cutter. Fill a plastic bowl or your sink with very cold water. I used the cold water from my fridge dispenser as it was close and easy. Make sure there is plenty of water as you are pulling the excess ink off the fabric so the particles don’t come off and adhere to other parts of the label you don’t want it to and smear or ruin the label. Do not twist or rub the labels – just carefully lay them in the water and gently swish them with your hand, separating the labels that want to stick together. The water should be clear and the font on the labels look darker because of the water.
Gently remove the labels from the plastic bowl and lay out individually on a towel. Put another towel over the labels and with a rolling pin, press to remove excess water.
Set the ink by using the highest heat on your iron for 8 to 10 seconds, but be sure to drain the water from your iron first because you don’t want any steam.
Since there was fused heat and bond on the back of the labels – I put the slightly damp label on the edge of the xray room hospital shorts and fused the label on at the same time that I set the ink. I had extra labels left over so I set the ink and used some of the backing for the heat and bond that I had taken off the back of the labels so all I have to do when I want to use those labels is again peel the backing off and they are good to go.
I sewed around the edge of the label with a straight stitch just inside the edge. Voila! All done.
It really didn’t take all that long, but it was a huge journey of finding the right way to do it and a lot of frustration trying out different methods and things.
This method for making labels can be used for printing out photos for memorial quilts and anything else you might want to print on fabric.
Enjoy.
Need donations to get flannel for charity quilt project – please help!
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Time for an update on our charity quilt project. Relief Sharecharity is a 501 (c ) 3 non profit registered with the IRS.
Our current main project is making 240 twin size quilts for Shriners Hospital in St Louis for children who undergo surgery to help them walk and move properly and have other skeletal problems.
So far we have made and donated approx 40 quilts (I will give you the exact number when our volunteers have reported in). I will also be taking a load of quilts next week to Shriners personally for the charity (yes, I will share photos).
I purchased all the fabric needed for the tops of the quilts and we are getting some batting and fabric donated, however, we need approx 250 yards of flannel for the back of the quilts and that’s where YOU come in. I managed to get a wonderful deal of excellent quality flannel at only $1.69 a yard but need donations to be able to purchase it. I can drive to pick it up, so there will be no shipping cost, and because Relief Share is a nonprofit, there will be no tax.
The goal is $422.50 to be able to purchase 250 yards of flannel.
All those who choose to donate will receive a tax deductible receipt. If you can help make a child’s stay at Shriners better by helping to provide a warm snuggly twin size quilt for their bed, please donate through PayPal to info@ReliefShare.org .
Checks can be sent to:
Relief Share,
6078 Lundy Rd.,
Houston, MO
65483-2225
Attn: Charity Quilt Project.
If you request it, a brochure can be mailed along with your tax deductible receipt and thank you letter.
Please share this need with your family and friends. God blesses us with what we need for ourselves, and for those in need. This is a way to help each other and give back to God for all our blessings. If you would like to send yarn, flannel, sewing supplies, fabric and batting, please send it to the address above. We would love it if you want to make a twin size quilt (approx 72 x 90 – doesn’t have to be exact) and send it, that would be wonderful!
St Louis Cardinals charity quilt – almost done!
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Charity quilt for Shriners Hospital patient
This quilt has been a lot of fun to make. Lots of happy bright colors and a soft fuzzy backing makes for a wonderful snuggly quilt destined for a very special little boy. I just finished the edging late tonight and am taking it to the work meeting tomorrow to tie it. The little boy loves the Cardinals and this quilt was truly a labor of love.
If you would like to make a quilt like this – buy a St Louis Cardinals t-shirt and cut out the logo. Back it with fabric for stability and use it for the center block. I strip pieced the top by sewing strips together and then cutting so I had long rows of squares sewn together, then I applied them to the center block by doing the log cabin method. After the strips of blocks were used up, I finished the quilt with long strips of the same fabric. It is really a one of a kind quilt that is very nice.
I used low loft batting and a heavy brushed nylon in white for the back that I got from my friend, Grandma Ev, years ago and was saving it for a very special charity project.
The baby lock sewing quilting machine the quilt was sewn on made putting it together a dream. The large plastic area that holds the quilt better around the machine makes a lot of difference. The machine is truly a blessing for all the sewing and quilting we do for charity.
Working on the twin quilts for the hospital – how to….
Posted by: | CommentsWe are enjoying making the twin size quilts for the hospital and thought we would share with everyone on how we are making the ones we are doing. We purchased fabric that was already patchworked with flannel and chenille and added fabric strips along the sixes to make it 70″ x 90″.
Twin size quilts quilts being tied for the hospital
Charity quilt being worked on
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Quilt for little patient at Shriner's Hospital being worked on
This quilt is certainly being made with a lot of love. We are using a Cardinals t-shirt purchased at Wal Mart as we couldn’t find any St Louis Cardinals fabric to use. Wal Mart also had the perfect red, blue and yellow fabric to go with the red shirting material with logo. We are strip quilting the quilt and need to go purchase stabilizer to iron on the back of the shirt that we have carefully cut open on the seams to use for the quilt. Fortunately, there is a quilt shop having a sale of 40% off in town so we can get the stabilizer there.
When the patchwork quilt is pieced, then we will add the patients name in applique on the top of the quilt. Everyone is so excited to get the quilt done and to this darling little boy. He has had many many operations in his short life time and is always cheery and fun to be around. What a good example to the rest of us, eh?!
Keep checking back, we will post the progress on this quilt of love.
Sewing blocks for twin quilts – pattern idea.
Posted by: | CommentsI am so excited. Yesterday, when shopping for more fabric for the twin size quilts wer are doing for Shriner’s Hospital in St Louis, I found some marvelous shiny fabric that is perfect for fish applique! The little children will love it. I have the perfect block fabric to go with it.
This shiny kind of fabric must not be sewn on directly if you are doing applique unless you are very patient and skilled in handling it. I have a wonderful quilting book with templates for frogs and fish that I will be using. Here is how you do it:
Cut two squares the size you want, making sure you leave a 1/4 seam around all edges. Place fabric right sides together – for these blocks I am using 100% cotton quilting fabric. Pin together so the fabric does not shift and carefully trace the frog or fish applique shape on the block, centering it – or even putting it slightly off center for an interesting block. Sew around the shape with a short stitch, approx 2.0. Cut out the inside of the shape, snipping the curves and turn so right sides are out and iron. Now you have a block with the shape of the fish or frog in the middle that is ready to be laid down over the shiny fabric.
Pin carefully with silk pins so there are no pin holes in the fabric and the fabric doesn’t shift while sewing, layering the shiny fabric right side up on the bottom and the cotton fabric you have just sewn on the top so the shiny fabric fills the outline you have just made. Sew carefully around the outside of the frog or fish shape approx 1/8″.
Viola! You now have a wonderful block to incorporate into your twin size quilt for the hospital.
The book I am using for the shapes is called 150 blocks for baby quilts by Susan Briscoe. I bought it at the local Enchanted Quilt Shop. The frog pattern in that book is my very favorite. It is on page 79.
I would love to see your block pattern ideas for the quilts you are making. Feel free to post ideas and pictures here to our Relief Share blog!
Happy sewing,
Carol Green
President
www.ReliefShare.org